Opinion Bulldogs Dodge Bullet With Brandon Smith

DinkumDog

Kennel Immortal
2 x Gilded
Joined
May 15, 2017
Messages
22,701
Reaction score
41,518
Maybe, when he moved to the Chooks, but then he came to us, no where to hide here last year/s.

Always a Bulldog
Yep, that’s what I was getting at, went to Bondi in a team of stars (not unlike the Storm) to cover up that maybe the hype is just that. Flanagan was badly exposed in a poor Bulldogs team the same as Smith may have been in Queensland…
 

Flanagun

Banned
In the Sin Bin
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
22,588
Reaction score
20,580
Of course, it's a professional sport - Pearce had a bunch of off the field issues and wasn't changing his behaviour, the Roosters wanted Perrett to see out his contract - they just told him they weren't going to re-sign him. I guarantee they both had opportunities for further education and networking through the Roosters though - that was the sales pitch.
Pearce's departure had nothing to do with his behavioural issues. The Roo$ters just wanted to sign Cronk, Fam. If Cronbk had decided to stay in Melbourne, Pearce would have remained in Bondi until some other superstar they shouldn't be able to afford came along. Same will happen to Cheezel when a better player becomes available. Namaste
 

Flanagun

Banned
In the Sin Bin
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
22,588
Reaction score
20,580
That's not like you fam. That sounds kinda like nasty payback.
Peace and love and all that.
Why should Bellamy go out of his way to give Smith game time in his preferred position when he has a better option available for selection, Fam? It's a team game, and Smith has strayed far from the Team Path. He should be given time to reflect on that. Namaste
 

wendog33

Kennel Immortal
Premium Member
Ladder Champion
Joined
Aug 6, 2016
Messages
24,741
Reaction score
27,950
Why should Bellamy go out of his way to give Smith game time in his preferred position when he has a better option available for selection, Fam? It's a team game, and Smith has strayed far from the Team Path. He should be given time to reflect on that. Namaste
Time to threaten with the ol' Canberra Prayer Room trick?
 

Flanagun

Banned
In the Sin Bin
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
22,588
Reaction score
20,580
Maybe deep down he knows he's not that good and going to the Dolphins would only show everyone that he actually isn't that good, hence going to the Chooks is a safe option for him as he has a ~$13m sombrero to make up for his deficiencies.


Always a Bulldog
This is exactly it, Fam. He knows he is not a truly elite dummy half. He knows he isn't a marquee player. He needs a team of superstars, or supercoach around him, or he will just become another average NRL hooker and his value will depreciate. Namaste.
 

Philmus

Kennel Enthusiast
Joined
May 3, 2021
Messages
3,462
Reaction score
6,146
How's this for a multi (maybe dreaming) - 100-1?

1. Cheese to Rorters 2022
2. Verillis to Parra 2022
3. Mahoney to dogs 2022
4. Cotric to Parra 2022 (or Cotric to Canberra and their winger to Parra)

*no/minimal freight for Cotric as this multi allows them to get Verillis if he gets the release from Rorters and not pay for him and Mahoney in 22)
I'd say more like 10-1
 

COVENS

Kennel Addict
Premium Member
Gilded
Joined
Sep 18, 2015
Messages
5,010
Reaction score
5,160
Pearce's departure had nothing to do with his behavioural issues. The Roo$ters just wanted to sign Cronk, Fam. If Cronbk had decided to stay in Melbourne, Pearce would have remained in Bondi until some other superstar they shouldn't be able to afford came along. Same will happen to Cheezel when a better player becomes available. Namaste
I can guarantee you they did.

Were they going to leave themselves shorthanded in a premiership window? No, but as soon as Cronk came on the radar they realised they could kill two birds...
 

Flanagun

Banned
In the Sin Bin
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
22,588
Reaction score
20,580
I can guarantee you they did.

Were they going to leave themselves shorthanded in a premiership window? No, but as soon as Cronk came on the radar they realised they could kill two birds...
Killing two birds with one stone? Not exactly language that indicates genuine care and concern for a player. Don't get me wrong, Fam. I am no fan of Pearce, but I'm tired of the romanticised narrative surrounding the roosters. It's not their culture that attracts players. It's the fact they have a corporate supremo with cash and influence to burn. They are a business, just like every other NRL club and Cheezel's talk of how much Uncle Nick cares is just doe eyed crap, Fam. All clubs maintain connections with players who are loyal and offer consistent value for money. Nothing special about it. What sets the Roosters apart is Politis' bower and corporate connections. Namaste
 

COVENS

Kennel Addict
Premium Member
Gilded
Joined
Sep 18, 2015
Messages
5,010
Reaction score
5,160
Killing two birds with one stone? Not exactly language that indicates genuine care and concern for a player. Don't get me wrong, Fam. I am no fan of Pearce, but I'm tired of the romanticised narrative surrounding the roosters. It's not their culture that attracts players. It's the fact they have a corporate supremo with cash and influence to burn. They are a business, just like every other NRL club and Cheezel's talk of how much Uncle Nick cares is just doe eyed crap, Fam. All clubs maintain connections with players who are loyal and offer consistent value for money. Nothing special about it. What sets the Roosters apart is Politis' bower and corporate connections. Namaste
You're trying to present Politis as a guy who pretends he's the fairy godmother.

Objective #1 is to win premierships. He's obviously ruthless with moving players on who aren't good value to that objective but players who work hard, who don't play up (or never learn from mistakes) and help the team win are given every opportunity to succeed in life outside of football.

My understanding of Smith's comments on the subject sounds like Melbourne excel in making you footballers, the Roosters sold a picture on letting Smith excel in other parts of his life as well.
 

Flanagun

Banned
In the Sin Bin
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
22,588
Reaction score
20,580
You're trying to present Politis as a guy who pretends he's the fairy godmother.

Objective #1 is to win premierships. He's obviously ruthless with moving players on who aren't good value to that objective but players who work hard, who don't play up (or never learn from mistakes) and help the team win are given every opportunity to succeed in life outside of football.

My understanding of Smith's comments on the subject sounds like Melbourne excel in making you footballers, the Roosters sold a picture on letting Smith excel in other parts of his life as well.
No, Fam. I'm not trying to paint that picture. That is the picture Smith seemed to be painting with his comments about Uncle Nick calling players on a golf course (when a player they really wanted to sign just happened to be there) to show he cares.

You asked what was naïve about what Smith said. I was just responding to your question.

I'm not saying Politis doesn't care about his players....but I'm sure there are people at every club who care about their players. People in footy build relationships and come to care for one another. That's certainly not unique to the roosters.

The only advantage Politis has over other administrators is the fact he is a very successful businessman and has great connections to the business world. Which poses serious questions about whether he should be allowed to use those connections to lure players to his club for significantly less than market value. From memory, the NRL once had a strict rule prohibiting clubs from signing players for unders. I have no issue at all with any club wanting to help players prepare for life after footy, but if the NRL seriously wants an even competition, allowing certain powerbrokers to use their connections as a bargaining chip to sign players for well under what other clubs would have to pay them is somewhat of an impediment to that goal. Let's not romanticise things. The Roosters have pulling power because they have a very powerful owner who has figured out a loophole which allows him to get more value out of the cap than other, less financially robust clubs are able to extract. Good business? Sure. But spare me the "he cares, he really cares" crap. Namaste
 

surfdog

Kennel Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 13, 2019
Messages
1,007
Reaction score
1,858
Obviously the roosters have significant " third party" means. You only have to look at the squad for 2022, it cant be under the cap any other way
 

wendog33

Kennel Immortal
Premium Member
Ladder Champion
Joined
Aug 6, 2016
Messages
24,741
Reaction score
27,950
So under the salary cap, designed to even up the comp and keep less influential clubs from folding, each team have say $M9.5.

Team A manage to get several State and Kangeroo players into their squad.

Team B manage to get two SOO into their team.
No, Fam. I'm not trying to paint that picture. That is the picture Smith seemed to be painting with his comments about Uncle Nick calling players on a golf course (when a player they really wanted to sign just happened to be there) to show he cares.

You asked what was naïve about what Smith said. I was just responding to your question.

I'm not saying Politis doesn't care about his players....but I'm sure there are people at every club who care about their players. People in footy build relationships and come to care for one another. That's certainly not unique to the roosters.

The only advantage Politis has over other administrators is the fact he is a very successful businessman and has great connections to the business world. Which poses serious questions about whether he should be allowed to use those connections to lure players to his club for significantly less than market value. From memory, the NRL once had a strict rule prohibiting clubs from signing players for unders. I have no issue at all with any club wanting to help players prepare for life after footy, but if the NRL seriously wants an even competition, allowing certain powerbrokers to use their connections as a bargaining chip to sign players for well under what other clubs would have to pay them is somewhat of an impediment to that goal. Let's not romanticise things. The Roosters have pulling power because they have a very powerful owner who has figured out a loophole which allows him to get more value out of the cap than other, less financially robust clubs are able to extract. Good business? Sure. But spare me the "he cares, he really cares" crap. Namaste
No matter what way you look at it, the extra "incentives" paper bags, pokie wins, golf closest to pin wins, after footy Club Manager at one of their clubs or buddies businesses is wink wink an extra rort no other club can dangle in front of players and a distinct advantage that should also be assessed in their cap for transparency.

Good luck to them. But our club could offer these rorts as well if allowed but Rorters go beyond the pale.
 

Flanagun

Banned
In the Sin Bin
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
22,588
Reaction score
20,580
So under the salary cap, designed to even up the comp and keep less influential clubs from folding, each team have say $M9.5.

Team A manage to get several State and Kangeroo players into their squad.

Team B manage to get two SOO into their team.

No matter what way you look at it, the extra "incentives" paper bags, pokie wins, golf closest to pin wins, after footy Club Manager at one of their clubs or buddies businesses is wink wink an extra rort no other club can dangle in front of players and a distinct advantage that should also be assessed in their cap for transparency.

Good luck to them. But our club could offer these rorts as well if allowed but Rorters go beyond the pale.
Totally agree, Fam. If the NRL is going to allow the Roosters to exploit its wealth to the degree it does, it should just dispense with the salary cap altogether. It can't do this, because it knows if other wealthy clubs were allowed to exploit the system to the extent the Roosters do, it would well and truly sign the death knell of the struggling clubs. Roosters are beneficiaries of having friends in high places. Namaste
 

wendog33

Kennel Immortal
Premium Member
Ladder Champion
Joined
Aug 6, 2016
Messages
24,741
Reaction score
27,950
Totally agree, Fam. If the NRL is going to allow the Roosters to exploit its wealth to the degree it does, it should just dispense with the salary cap altogether. It can't do this, because it knows if other wealthy clubs were allowed to exploit the system to the extent the Roosters do, it would well and truly sign the death knell of the struggling clubs. Roosters are beneficiaries of having friends in high places. Namaste
Exactly right...but our day will come and we will be the gorilla in the room :grinning:
 

Alan79

Kennel Legend
Joined
Mar 10, 2007
Messages
13,193
Reaction score
18,939
No, Fam. I'm not trying to paint that picture. That is the picture Smith seemed to be painting with his comments about Uncle Nick calling players on a golf course (when a player they really wanted to sign just happened to be there) to show he cares.

You asked what was naïve about what Smith said. I was just responding to your question.

I'm not saying Politis doesn't care about his players....but I'm sure there are people at every club who care about their players. People in footy build relationships and come to care for one another. That's certainly not unique to the roosters.

The only advantage Politis has over other administrators is the fact he is a very successful businessman and has great connections to the business world. Which poses serious questions about whether he should be allowed to use those connections to lure players to his club for significantly less than market value. From memory, the NRL once had a strict rule prohibiting clubs from signing players for unders. I have no issue at all with any club wanting to help players prepare for life after footy, but if the NRL seriously wants an even competition, allowing certain powerbrokers to use their connections as a bargaining chip to sign players for well under what other clubs would have to pay them is somewhat of an impediment to that goal. Let's not romanticise things. The Roosters have pulling power because they have a very powerful owner who has figured out a loophole which allows him to get more value out of the cap than other, less financially robust clubs are able to extract. Good business? Sure. But spare me the "he cares, he really cares" crap. Namaste
For a long while I've thought that no club should be able to offer less than 10% or so of the highest offer.

You look at this bullshit with Tedesco and Manu supposedly on 500k under what others offered per season between them. That half million dollars goes a long way towards another origin player (who'll conveniently also sign for unders). The rule should be that if you can't offer 90% of the highest offer you shouldn't be able to make an offer. Keeps strong teams from potentially being able to cheat the cap massively.
 

wendog33

Kennel Immortal
Premium Member
Ladder Champion
Joined
Aug 6, 2016
Messages
24,741
Reaction score
27,950
Love to know what was in the pizza.
Politis: oh is Smithy there?
Cheese comes back and they're speaking French.
 

Howie B

Kennel Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 6, 2017
Messages
3,889
Reaction score
10,402
I can barely remember a player that the rorters have either lost that they wanted to keep or missed a signing target in the last 15 years except RTS.

Its naive to think it’s just good management but I can’t see it changing.

Would it be cruel to just keep hoping they get a few key position injuries every year to even up the playing field a bit ?

Not concussions, just a few ACL’s and a ruptured testicle or two
 

InGusWeTrust

Kennel Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 21, 2021
Messages
3,785
Reaction score
6,467
I'm glad it worked out the way it did. I was excited at the prospect to have Smith at Belmore, but since he's hooked up with those YKTR gronks, he's become annoying. The disrespect shown to his current club was unbelievable. Plus he's gonna be under the microscope in Sydney, and will probably get in more trouble, so I agree we may have dodged a bullet.
 
Top